Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Thompson, South Dakota
A $110,000 home here costs
$1,032per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $44,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $600. The real number is $432 higher every month, 72% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Buffalo County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Fort Thompson from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,134 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Buffalo County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fort Thompson against Buffalo County and South Dakota
| Measure | Fort Thompson | Buffalo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $110,300 | $108,000 |
| Median property tax | — | $843 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.781% | 0.781% |
| Median gross rent | $515 | $535 |
| Population | 1,134 | 1,757 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Thompson sits in Buffalo County, which averages a high of 87.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 20.37" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 894 cooling and 6,983 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Buffalo County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Buffalo County
No other places of this size are published in Buffalo County.
Full Buffalo County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fort Thompson averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Fort Thompson every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fort Thompson I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Thompson?
A $110,000 home in Fort Thompson, South Dakota costs approximately $1,032 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $600 principal and interest, $72 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $92 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Thompson?
Place-level tax data is not published for Fort Thompson, so the Buffalo County rate of 0.781% applies here.
What is the average home price in Fort Thompson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Thompson, South Dakota is $110,300, against $108,000 across Buffalo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Thompson?
Median gross rent in Fort Thompson is $515 a month, against $1,032 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Fort Thompson?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fort Thompson, South Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $44,000 a year. That covers the full $1,032 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Thompson, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for South Dakota.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.